Narrative:

I was flying from bfm direct alb direct vld. Before departing bfm, I did a normal walkaround and checked the fuel. I had 3/4 tanks registering on the indicator and on the dipstick that I carry with me to check the tanks in the C210 because I know that the cessna fuel gauges can't be trusted. It normally would, or should, take around 33 gallons of fuel to get to vld. However, about 1/2 way between aby and vld, the engine began to sputter as they sometimes do because of vapor lock. So I switched the fuel tanks by putting on the fuel pump first where it tried to run, but continued to sputter. Meanwhile I was on an IFR flight plan and working with approach. Immediately I informed them I was having problems and they asked if I was declaring an emergency and I told them to not yet (this was before switching tanks). My altitude was 3000 ft and after realizing it wasn't going to start, I told approach that I was going to have to set it down in one of these fields and I was not sure if they could hear me, and I told them to cancel IFR, but got no response. Meanwhile I was setting up for an emergency landing in a farm field where I landed the plane with no damage at all to it or the property. I called aby tower right away so they wouldn't send out a search party. The company I work for is a part 135. They had me take a drug test and alcohol test, which was negative. Meanwhile the company and/or owner of the plane inspected it and flew it out of the field. They said it was out of fuel and it was my fault. However, like I said, there should have been plenty and I think it was leaking from the strainer.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF AN AIR TAXI CARGO C210 DECLARED AN EMER AND MADE A FORCED LNDG IN A FIELD AFTER THE ENG QUIT ENRTE DUE TO FUEL STARVATION.

Narrative: I WAS FLYING FROM BFM DIRECT ALB DIRECT VLD. BEFORE DEPARTING BFM, I DID A NORMAL WALKAROUND AND CHKED THE FUEL. I HAD 3/4 TANKS REGISTERING ON THE INDICATOR AND ON THE DIPSTICK THAT I CARRY WITH ME TO CHK THE TANKS IN THE C210 BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THE CESSNA FUEL GAUGES CAN'T BE TRUSTED. IT NORMALLY WOULD, OR SHOULD, TAKE AROUND 33 GALLONS OF FUEL TO GET TO VLD. HOWEVER, ABOUT 1/2 WAY BTWN ABY AND VLD, THE ENG BEGAN TO SPUTTER AS THEY SOMETIMES DO BECAUSE OF VAPOR LOCK. SO I SWITCHED THE FUEL TANKS BY PUTTING ON THE FUEL PUMP FIRST WHERE IT TRIED TO RUN, BUT CONTINUED TO SPUTTER. MEANWHILE I WAS ON AN IFR FLT PLAN AND WORKING WITH APCH. IMMEDIATELY I INFORMED THEM I WAS HAVING PROBS AND THEY ASKED IF I WAS DECLARING AN EMER AND I TOLD THEM TO NOT YET (THIS WAS BEFORE SWITCHING TANKS). MY ALT WAS 3000 FT AND AFTER REALIZING IT WASN'T GOING TO START, I TOLD APCH THAT I WAS GOING TO HAVE TO SET IT DOWN IN ONE OF THESE FIELDS AND I WAS NOT SURE IF THEY COULD HEAR ME, AND I TOLD THEM TO CANCEL IFR, BUT GOT NO RESPONSE. MEANWHILE I WAS SETTING UP FOR AN EMER LNDG IN A FARM FIELD WHERE I LANDED THE PLANE WITH NO DAMAGE AT ALL TO IT OR THE PROPERTY. I CALLED ABY TWR RIGHT AWAY SO THEY WOULDN'T SEND OUT A SEARCH PARTY. THE COMPANY I WORK FOR IS A PART 135. THEY HAD ME TAKE A DRUG TEST AND ALCOHOL TEST, WHICH WAS NEGATIVE. MEANWHILE THE COMPANY AND/OR OWNER OF THE PLANE INSPECTED IT AND FLEW IT OUT OF THE FIELD. THEY SAID IT WAS OUT OF FUEL AND IT WAS MY FAULT. HOWEVER, LIKE I SAID, THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN PLENTY AND I THINK IT WAS LEAKING FROM THE STRAINER.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.